Shelving system and components

Abstract

A shelving system including brackets and shelves suspended by flexible or rigid straps from various types of shelving. The shelving system includes two frames that may include wire for forming ends of the shelving system. Each frame includes a shelf supporting element including first and second shelf rod receiving elements. A shelf is provided that includes first and second spaced rods. The rod receiving elements are configured to receive and support the rods. In another embodiment, a shelving system includes at least two brackets that are configured to engage a fixed shelf, and at least one rigid strap depending from each bracket. Two frames are each associated with and releaseably attached to one of the rigid straps and include a shelf supporting element including a shelf retaining portion. A shelf is supported by the shelf supporting element and is retained in place with the shelf retaining portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shelving system, comprising:
 two frames for forming ends of the shelving system, each frame including a first stanchion, a second stanchion, and a shelf support element extending between the first stanchion and the second stanchion; and   a shelf disposed between the frames,   
       wherein the shelf support elements support the shelf in one direction and block movement of the shelf in an opposite second direction. 
     
     
         2 . The shelving system of  claim 1 , wherein the shelf comprises a first rod and a second rod spaced from the first rod, and wherein the shelf support element includes a first shelf rod receiving element proximate to the first stanchion and a second shelf rod receiving element proximate to the second stanchion, the first shelf rod receiving elements are configured to receive the first rod, and the second shelf rod receiving elements are configured to receive the second rod. 
     
     
         3 . The shelving system of  claim 2 , wherein the shelf rod receiving elements define a U-shaped opening for receiving the rods. 
     
     
         4 . The shelving system of  claim 2 , wherein the shelf support element, including the first shelf rod receiving element, the second shelf rod receiving element, and a shelf retaining portion for blocking movement of the shelf in the second direction are formed from wire. 
     
     
         5 . The shelving system of  claim 4 , wherein the wire is one continuous piece of wire. 
     
     
         6 . The shelving system of  claim 4 , wherein the shelf retaining portion prevents movement of the rods out of the shelf rod receiving elements when the shelf is assembled in the frames with the first rod received in the first shelf rod receiving elements and the second rod received in the second shelf rod receiving elements to retain the shelf in an assembled position. 
     
     
         7 . The shelving system of  claim 2 , wherein the two frames are spaced for receiving the shelf, each shelf support element includes a shelf retaining portion, and in a first position the shelf rests on the shelf retaining portion, contacting the shelf retaining portion on a first side of the shelf, and in a second, assembled position the shelf rods are seated in the shelf rod receiving elements and the shelf retaining portion contacts the shelf on an opposite, second side of the shelf. 
     
     
         8 . The shelving system of  claim 7 , wherein the shelf support element includes integral biasing means comprising bent wire at each end of the shelf retaining portion, wherein the spring-like biasing means urges the shelf retaining means to apply force to the second side of the shelf. 
     
     
         9 . The shelving system of  claim 7 , wherein the biasing means are adjacent to the shelf rod receiving means, the biasing means defines an opening with an open end facing a first direction, and the shelf rod receiving means each define an opening with an open end facing in a substantially opposite second direction. 
     
     
         10 . The shelving system of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 at least two brackets that are configured to engage the shelf; and   at least one strap depending from each bracket,   
       wherein the shelf comprises a first rod and a second rod spaced from the first rod, 
       wherein the two frames comprise wire, each shelf support element including a first shelf rod receiving element, a second shelf rod receiving element and a shelf retaining portion, each frame associated with one of the at least one straps; and 
       wherein the first shelf rod receiving elements are configured to receive and support the first rod, and the second shelf rod receiving elements are configured to receive and support the second rod, and 
       wherein the shelf is retained in an assembled position with the first rod received in the first shelf rod receiving elements and the second rod received in the second shelf rod receiving elements with the shelf retaining portion. 
     
     
         11 . The shelving system of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one strap comprises rigid straps. 
     
     
         12 . The shelving system of  claim 11 , wherein the rigid straps are each mounted to one of the at least two brackets, each rigid strap including a first end and a second end with a hook portion at each end, the hook at the first end for engaging the associated bracket at one of the at least one slots and the hook at the second end for engaging one of the frames by receiving the wire of the frame in that hook. 
     
     
         13 . The shelving system of  claim 10 , wherein the shelf retaining portion is disposed above the shelf when the shelving system is in the assembled and installed position. 
     
     
         14 . The shelving system of  claim 10 , wherein the shelf rod receiving elements each include spring-like biasing means for biasing the shelf retaining portion to retain the shelf in an assembled position. 
     
     
         15 . A bracket to be mounted to a wire shelf deck across a plurality of wires for a shelving system, the bracket comprising:
 a plate having a body and first edge parallel to and spaced from a second edge, wherein the first and second edges are bent in the same direction relative to the body, the body defining first and second substantially parallel slots adapted to receive a strap, wherein the slots are substantially parallel to the first and second edges.   
     
     
         16 . The bracket of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second edges are bent to be substantially arcuate, forming an inside surface on the inner radius of each arcuate edge, and are further bent to include a return, wherein the first and second edges and the returns are each spaced to receive spaced wires of the wire shelf deck. 
     
     
         17 . The bracket of  claim 16 , wherein the bracket is sized such that assembly of the bracket to the wire shelf deck requires deflection of at least one wire. 
     
     
         18 . The shelving system of  claim 15 , wherein each bracket further comprises a center portion of the body between the slots and a resilient pad mounted to the center portion, the resilient pad configured to apply pressure to a wire of the wire shelf deck.